Michael Bolton - Fools Game

What this video is

Released in 1983 on Columbia Records, 'Fools Game' was the lead-off single from Michael Bolton's self-titled third studio album — his debut under the Bolton stage name after two prior records released as Michael Bolotin. The video was produced squarely at the dawn of MTV, when Columbia Records was aggressively commissioning music videos to gain channel placement. The song and video represent a pre-soft-rock Bolton:…

Why it matters

A rare artifact of Michael Bolton's pre-ballad hard rock / AOR identity, 'Fools Game' documents a commercially overlooked chapter of his career. As the lead single from his first Columbia album, the video represents the early MTV industry model: rapid-cut performance promos designed for a 3–4…

The director

Martin Kahan (April 17, 1947 – July 18, 2021) was a New York-born music video director and producer. He launched his career directing live promotional clips for Rush ('Tom Sawyer,' 'Freewill,' 'Limelight') before returning to New York in 1983. He became a…